By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Spanish, Italian and Russian
"lily"
Lilia is pretty double L name that makes for sparkly, floral choice with plenty of international flair. More distinctive that Lily, less popular than Liliana, Lia, and Lilian, Lilia was a new entry…
French, from German
"wealthy"
Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake , a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly sophisticated yet upbeat choice. In fact, it charted in…
Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse
"olive tree; life, protection"
Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…
Welsh
"white shadow, white wave"
Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous…
Latin
"warlike"
Marcella is a name of Latin origin, which has been neglected for decades now. Depicted as the world's most beautiful woman in Don Quixote (where it's spelled Marcela), it has plenty of flair and…
English
"meadow of quivering aspens"
Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…
Italian
"light, clear"
Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira. Santa Chiara, Aglicized…
Irish
"liberty"
Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…
Russian, from Latin family name Tatius, meaning unknown
Classic yet spritely, Tatiana has long been familiar and popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, though it wasn't until the 80s that it caught on in the English-speaking world. With short forms Tiana,…
"dweller at the holly trees"
Hollis is a surname-name used quietly for both genders. At last count, it was given to over 200 baby boys and 160 baby girls in the US. Now a Top 1000 name for boys, it could well break into the…
Hawaiian
"joy, happiness"
Kalea is a Top 100 name for girls in Hawaii, that may also be spelled as Kale'a. Sources differ on the meaning of the name, but the most authoritative land on "joy or happiness", with other…
Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel, Hebrew
"garden"
Most familiar as the name of Tony Soprano's wife, but she spelled it Carmela. In the contemporary US, both Carmella and Carmela are used in near-equal numbers, given to a total of about 300 baby…
Aramaic
"gazelle"
Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible,…
African, Congolese; also literary name
"piece of earth"
When the Eddie Murphys named their fourth daughter Zola, it affirmed the up-and-coming status of the name, which has African roots, but also literary links to Emile Zola. Zola may also be…
Spelling variation of Magdalen
"woman from Magdala or high tower"
This name made famous in the New Testament has gone from crusty grandma to sleek and chic in recent years, or is it months? The name's image is perhaps helped by the fact that Mary Magdalene was one…
"she who brings happiness; blessed"
Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe. In the earliest sources it is recorded…
Literature, Sindarin, Welsh
"noble maiden; fair, blessed"
Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings , Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of…
Greek
"seer, prophetess"
The image of the lovely Lady Sybil, tragic youngest daughter of the Crawley family on Downton Abbey is likely to go a long way towards reviving this almost forgotten name, off the list since 1966 and…
"stag meadow"
Smart and preppy, but with plenty of heart, Hartley is a surname style name that could work as an alternative to the popular Harley, Harlowe, Harper, and Hadley. Quietly used for boys throughout the…
Feminine form of Pius or diminutive of Olympia, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit
"pious; from Mount Olympus; beloved"
Soft, light, and international, Pia is familiar across Europe, South America, and Asia. Usually considered a feminine form of the Latin Pius — lending it a surprisingly serious and spiritual air — it…
